AMEN Properties (AMEN) Announces 2006 Annual Financial Results
March 30 2007 - 1:43PM
Business Wire
Amen Properties, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMEN) with headquarters in Midland,
TX today announced the results for the year ending December 31,
2006 About Amen Properties, Inc. AMEN Properties, Inc., (the
�Company�) is a real estate and energy company engaged in owning
and managing real estate, oil and gas royalties, and energy-related
business properties. The Company is a holding company and conducts
its operations through AMEN Delaware, LP (�Delaware�); AMEN
Minerals, LP (�Minerals�) and W Power and Light, LP (�W Power�),
each being a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. As of December
31, 2006, the Company, through Delaware�s investment in a real
estate joint venture, has a commercial real estate portfolio
consisting of an ownership of approximately 18% in two office
properties located in Midland, Texas comprising an aggregate of
approximately 428,560 square feet of gross leasable area. The
Company�s present oil and gas royalty holdings are through
Minerals, which owns two oil and gas royalty properties, one in
Nowata County, Oklahoma and the other in Hemphill County, Texas.
The Company is engaged in the retail electricity market as a retail
electric provider serving both retail and wholesale customers
within the state of Texas through W Power. Effective April 1, 2006,
AMEN Properties acquired 100% of Priority Power Management, Ltd. a
Texas limited partnership, and Priority Power Management, Dallas,
Ltd. a Texas limited partnership, (collectively referred to as
�Priority Power�). Priority Power is primarily involved in
providing energy management services and the Company believes that
Priority Power's business is complimentary to the retail
electricity provider business conducted by the Company's subsidiary
W Power. Market share for W Power in 2006 was lower than
Management�s initial expectations during its founding in 2004.
Consistent with Management�s previous discussion of undertaking a
deliberate and controlled growth strategy after the extreme price
volatility in energy markets during 2005, W Power did not grow its
market share appreciably during 2006. W Power focused on growth in
segments which provided an opportunity for relatively larger gross
profit margins or reduced exposure to wholesale price volatility.
Additionally, W Power did not compete aggressively on price when it
appeared other REPs were selling at or below prevailing market
prices. W Power was successful in its efforts to improve its
profitability throughout 2006, which was also its first full year
of operations coming out of a startup mode during 2005. In
addition, W Power was successful in providing wholesale energy
procurement services which reduced market price volatility risk,
but also increased counterparty credit concentration risk.
Management is pleased with the controlled growth strategy of W
Power and its ability to achieve profitability for the entire
fiscal year of 2006. We are still concerned with reduced generating
capacity reserve margins in Texas and believe a continued
environment of extreme price volatility during the coming years is
likely. Management believes W Power will continue to pursue its
controlled and deliberate growth strategy in an effort not to
exceed its credit capacity and market risk tolerance. W Power
continues to be challenged by higher and volatile commodity energy
prices which increase the amount of capital requirements to hedge
forward its electricity purchases using the Company�s available
cash and credit facilities. Additionally, contracting with
customers for longer terms at current prices increases the risk
associated with bad debt, particularly if prices were to decline
sharply. We continue to believe the largest risks facing W Power
are managing its growth wisely and maintaining sufficient credit
availability to support that growth. Even with continued deliberate
limiting of its growth, the Company�s business model leads
management to expect earnings from operations, before income tax,
depreciation and amortization, to be positive for 2007, just as
with 2006. The Company�s newly acquired subsidiary, Priority Power,
generated approximately $933,000 of net income for the nine months
ended December 31, 2006. Management believes that Priority Power is
well positioned for growth through expansion and acquisitions,
which may occur during 2007 and beyond. In addition, Management
expects earnings from operations before income tax, depreciation
and amortization to be positive for 2007. Overview For the year
ended December 31, 2006, the Company showed net income of
$2,161,158 or $.94 per share as compared to a net loss of $704,562,
or $.32 per share for the same period ended December 31, 2005, for
a change of approximately $2,866,000. This change is primarily due
to the Company�s distribution and simultaneous sale of
approximately 74% its undivided interest in the Bank of America
Tower and Century Plaza buildings on September 27, 2006. This
transaction resulted in a gain of approximately $1,405,000. On May
25, 2006 the Company completed the acquisition of 100% of Priority
Power Management, effective April 1, 2006. For the nine months
ended December 31, 2006, Priority Power Management generated
approximately $933,000 of net income. Additionally, W Power
generated approximately $528,000 in net income for the period
ending December 31, 2006 as compared to a net loss of approximately
$351,000 for the period ending December 31, 2005. Revenues The
Company�s consolidated revenues were $15,056,800 for the period
ending December 31, 2006, compared to $10,180,892 for the period
ending December 31, 2005. This significant increase was due
primarily to the Company completing the acquisition of 100% of
Priority Power Management, effective April 1, 2006. Additionally, W
Power generated revenue of approximately $10,490,000 and $7,172,000
for the year ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively, for an
increase of approximately $3,318,000. This increase is mainly due
to W Power having a full year of operations for the year ended
December 31, 2006 as compared to W Power beginning operations in
the early part of 2005. The Company�s rental revenue from TCTB
decreased for the period ending December 31, 2006 over the same
period ending December 31, 2005 by approximately $ 590,000. This
decrease is mainly due to the Company entering into an Agreement to
Distribute Assets with and among the partners of TCTB Partners, Ltd
and contemporaneous with the distribution of the Properties, the
Company along with the General Partner and the other Limited
Partners of TCTB collectively agreed to sell and sold 75% of their
collective undivided interest in the Properties. The Company
continues to have significant involvement in the operations of the
real estate. The Company began accounting for its remaining 18.017%
ownership in the real estate using the equity method of accounting
during the third quarter of 2006. Operating Expenses Total
operating expenses for the period ending December 31, 2006 and 2005
were $13,689,993 and $10,182,561, respectively. The increase of
approximately $3,507,000 in operating expense is mainly related to
the Company�s acquisition of Priority Power Management effect April
1, 2006 and an increase in W Power�s cost of goods and services. W
Power�s increase in cost of goods and services is mainly related to
W Power having a full twelve months of operations for the year
ended December 31, 2006 as compared to W Power beginning operations
in the early part of the year ended December 31, 2005. As of
December 31, 2006, the Company accrued the corporate tithing, as
required by the Company�s by-laws. The accrued tithing was
approximately $240,000 or 10% of the Company�s net profits for the
year ended December 31, 2006. Management expects to pay the tithing
during the second and third quarter of 2007. Additionally, the
Company experienced a decrease in the building operating expenses
mainly due to the Company entering into an Agreement to Distribute
Assets with and among the partners of TCTB Partners, Ltd and
contemporaneously with the distribution of the Properties, the
Company along with the General Partner and the other Limited
Partners of TCTB collectively agreed to sell and sold 75% of their
collective undivided interest in the Properties. The Company
continues to have significant involvement in the operations of the
real estate and began accounting for its remaining 18.017%
ownership in the real estate using the equity method of accounting
during the third quarter of 2006. W Power�s cost of goods and
services were approximately $9,421,000 and 6,923,619 for the year
ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively or 89.8% and 96.5%
of retail electricity sales for the period ended December 31, 2006
and 2005, respectively. W Power�s gross profit was approximately
$1,069,000 and $248,000 for the period ended December 31, 2006 and
2005, respectively or 10.2% and 3.5% of retail electricity sales
for the period ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The
increase of approximately 6.7% is mainly due to a decrease in the
levels of wholesale electricity and natural gas price escalation
and volatility during the year ended December 31, 2006 as compared
to the year ended December 31, 2005. Rental property operations and
depreciation expense experienced a decrease of approximately
$290,000 and $61,000, respectively, for the year ended December 31,
2006 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2005. The decrease
in the property operations and depreciation is attributable to the
Company entering into an Agreement to Distribute Assets with and
among the partners of TCTB Partners, Ltd and contemporaneous with
the distribution of the Properties, the Company along with the
General Partner and the other Limited Partners of TCTB collectively
agreed to sell and sold 75% of their collective undivided interest
in the Properties. The Company continues to have significant
involvement in the operations of the real estate. The Company began
accounting for its remaining 18.017% ownership in the real estate
using the equity method of accounting during the third quarter of
2006. For the year ended December 31, 2006 general and
administrative costs increased approximately $1,120,000 as compared
to the year ended December 31, 2005. This increase is primarily
associated with Company�s acquisition of Priority Power Management,
Ltd. effective April 1, 2006. General and administrative expense
associated with Priority Power Management, Ltd. amounted to
approximately $991,000. Additionally, W Power and the Company�s
corporate office experienced a combined increase of approximately
$128,000 in general and administrative expense mainly related to
payroll expense. Other (Expense) Income For the year ended December
31, 2006 as compared to the year ended December 31, 2005 the
Company incurred an increase of approximately $1,466,000 in other
income (expense). The increase is mainly related to the Company
entering into an Agreement to Distribute Assets with and among the
partners of TCTB Partners, Ltd and contemporaneously with the
distribution of the Properties, the Company along with the General
Partner and the other Limited Partners of TCTB collectively agreed
to sell and sold 75% of their collective undivided interest in the
Properties. The sale of approximately 75% of the Company�s
undivided interest in the properties resulted in a gain of
approximately $1,405,000. The Company continues to have significant
involvement in the operations of the real estate and began
accounting for its remaining 18.017% ownership in the real estate
using the equity method of accounting during the third quarter of
2006. Additionally, interest income was $227,996 and $71,017 for or
the year ended December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. The
increase of approximately $157,000 is related to the interest the
Company received on the restricted deposits with JPMorgan Chase
Bank, N.A. totaling approximately $2,197,000 collateralizing
outstanding Letters of Credit. AMEN Properties, Inc. and
Subsidiaries � CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS � Years Ended
December 31, � � 2006� 2005� � Operating revenue Rental revenue
$2,418,702� 3,008,669� Energy management fees 2,148,051� -� Retail
electricity revenue 10,490,047� 7,172,223� Total operating revenue
15,056,800� 10,180,892� � Operating expense Cost of goods and
services 9,421,434� 6,923,619� Rental property operations
1,652,483� 1,941,620� General and administrative 2,049,156�
929,653� Depreciation, amortization and depletion 326,791� 387,669�
Corporate tithing 240,129� -� � Total operating expenses
13,689,993� 10,182,561� � Income (loss) from operations 1,366,807�
(1,669) � Other income (expense) Interest income 227,996� 71,017�
Interest expense (755,228) (552,567) Gain on sale of interest in
real estate 1,405,495� -� Impairment of note receivable -�
(186,555) Income from real estate joint venture 42,947� -� Other
income (66,611) 56,553� Total other income (expense) 854,599�
(611,552) � � Income (loss) before income taxes and minority
interest 2,221,406� (613,221) � Income taxes -� -� Minority
interest (60,248) (91,341) � NET INCOME (LOSS) $2,161,158�
(704,562) � � Net income (loss) per common share (basic) $.94�
(.32) � Net income (loss) per common share (diluted) $.56� (.32) �
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding - basic
2,290,589� 2,203,073� Weighted average number of common shares
outstanding - diluted 3,830,078� 2,203,073� Amen Properties, Inc.
Investor Relations Attn: Kris Oliver P.O. Box 2888 Midland, TX
79702 432-684-3821�